Bathing rooms: showers, tubs and transfer spaces

TED STA I T N E U S U.S. Access Board Technical Guide A D C R C A ESS BO Bathing Rooms This guide explains requirements in the ADA Standards for bathing rooms. Required Compliance [§213] Plumbing and building codes address the number and type of bathing rooms and fixtures required for a facility. The ADA Standards, on the other hand, address access to bathing rooms where they are provided. In new construction, access is required to all bathing rooms, including those for employees. However, where single user portable units are provided, at least 5% at each cluster must comply and be labelled by the International Symbol of Accessibility (ISA) unless all in a cluster are accessible (§213.2. Ex. 3, §216.8). Unisex Bathing Rooms [§213.2] Where multi-user bathing rooms are provided, accessible unisex bathing rooms cannot serve as a substitute for compliant multi-user rooms, except in alterations where making multi-user rooms comply is not technically feasible (§213.2, Ex. 1). Otherwise, where multi-user and unisex bathing rooms are provided, both types must comply. Unisex bathing rooms, where provided, must have privacy latches and contain a shower or shower and tub, a lavatory, and a water closet (§213.2.1). Providing an accessible unisex bathing room in addition to accessible multi-user bathing rooms is helpful for those who use personal care assistants of the opposite sex. The International Building Code requires accessible unisex bathing rooms in recreational facilities with separate- sex bathing rooms that have more than one shower or bathtub fixture (§1108.2.1 in the 2000 IBC and §1109.2.1 in later editions).